Education In A SNAP

Gateway’s SNAP E&T helps participant secure career opportunity

New Haven – New Haven resident Lisa Anakwa worked for 13 years in New York for two volunteer ambulance services. She joined the day after 9/11.

Originally from Bridgeport and returning to Connecticut to be closer to family after a divorce, she was majoring in sociology at a private college in 2020 when her mounting student loan debt made her reconsider her options. In her late fifties and with grown children, she was babysitting until the hours became sporadic during the pandemic and had to apply for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Through the Provides App, a tool available to SNAP participants, Lisa learned about free training opportunities at Gateway Community College (GCC) and decided to learn more.

Tom Gaudioso, guided pathways advisor and former SNAP Education &Training (SNAP E&T) coordinator, explained that Lisa qualified for free classes and could become certified as a medical office assistant. The 21-week program prepares students to work in medical offices, long-term care facilities, and medical insurance companies. Participants learn about insurance reimbursement, medical terminology, computers, office skills, and coded medical insurance forms. For Lisa, having a positive experience in the medical field volunteering for the ambulance service, this new career path resonated, and she attended a virtual orientation. She started the program in January 2021.

Hesitant to begin anew and feeling uneasy about being an older student, Lisa persevered and found others in the program were like-minded; many were also mothers experiencing similar life circumstances. Fellow students understood the financial challenges associated with being a displaced homemaker and all could relate while navigating classes during the pandemic. In the end, her classmates became friends who she continues to stay connected with. The instructor, Jean Carusone, also was supportive to all students, Lisa said.

“She was always there for us, and she cared,” Lisa said, noting that Carusone gave students suggestions of companies that were hiring. “I felt empowered when I finished the class and scored well on the NHA certification.”

Lisa has been employed full-time since completing the program. Her first job was with Planned Parenthood. In April, she began a remote position with Highmark Health in Pennsylvania, where she works with Medicare and serves the senior citizen market.

Lisa Anakwa gained skills that helped her to start a new career path.

Lisa said that the keys to success in the program were being willing to take a chance, setting goals for her future, making lists of what she wanted, and having a support system to get through the hurdles. She noted that Gaudioso offered just the right type of encouragement to help her make it through the program.

“Tom said, ‘you can do it, you’ll be fine,” Lisa said.

With experience working on an ambulance and raising five children, two of whom joined her family at age five and seven when a relative died of cancer, her past handling of tough times has proven to be her strength. Gaudioso said he saw how Lisa collaborated with classmates and he sensed that she would be a welcome addition to a work team when she completed her studies.

“It was an absolute pleasure to work with Lisa. She was supportive and caring towards her fellow students and had the perseverance to succeed in the program,” Gaudioso said.